Belt-positioning booster seat for vehicles

ABSTRACT

A belt-positioning booster seat is adapted to be positioned on a passenger seat included in a vehicle and to support a child seated on the passenger seat. The belt-positioning booster seat includes a seat pad to elevate a child above a seat bottom of the passenger seat along with left and right belt guides adapted to receive a lap belt that extends over a child seated on the seat pad.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application is a continuation and claims benefit of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/198,137 filed Mar. 5, 2014 and claims priorityunder 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/772,941,filed Mar. 5, 2013, and to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/889,989,filed Oct. 11, 2013, all of which are expressly incorporated byreference herein.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to child passenger seats, andparticularly to a system for retaining a child passenger seat in placeon a passenger seat in a vehicle. More particularly, the presentdisclosure relates to a system for positioning a seat belt providedalongside a passenger seat in a vehicle relative to a child seated on achild passenger seat placed on the passenger seat.

SUMMARY

According to the present disclosure, a belt-positioning booster seat isadapted for use with a passenger seat in a vehicle having a seat bottomand a seat back. The belt-positioning booster seat includes a seat padalong with left and right lap belt-positioning tethers that extend fromthe seat pad. The seat pad elevates the child above the seat bottom ofthe passenger seat. The left and right lap belt-positioning tethersreceive and guide a lap belt across a child seated on thebelt-positioning booster seat.

In illustrative embodiments, the shape of the seat pad is contoured inaccordance with the present disclosure to position the tailbone of achild seated on the seat pad in a predetermined location in closeproximity to a rear edge of the seat pad next to the seat back of anunderlying passenger seat. The seat pad includes a low-elevationtailbone support, an aft tailbone-locator incline arranged to extendupwardly in a rearward direction from the tailbone support toward theseat back, and a forward tailbone locator incline arranged to extendupwardly from the low-elevation tailbone support in a forward directionaway from the seat back. The low-elevation tailbone support is shapedand arranged to locate the tailbone of the seat occupant at a certaindistance from the rear edge of the seat pad.

In illustrative embodiments, the seat pad includes a body, a left earthat extends outwardly from a left side of the body, and a right earthat extends outwardly from a right side of the body. The body of theseat pad is formed to include the low-elevation tailbone support, theaft tailbone-locator incline, and the forward tailbone-locator incline.The left and right ears are thinner than the body of the seat pad. Thereduced thickness of the left and right ears allows stitches of threadto extend through left and right ears and through the left and right lapbelt-positioning tethers to secure the left and right lapbelt-positioning tethers to the left and right ears.

In illustrative embodiments, the seat pad is constructed from compliantfoam materials so that the seat pad yields elastically when a child sitson the seat pad. The seat pad illustratively includes a plurality ofshaped foam layers received in a foam cover that cooperate to providethe body of the seat pad. The cover illustratively extends away from thebody of the seat pad without receiving any shaped foam layers to providethe left and right ears that are secured to the left and right lapbelt-positioning tethers by stitches of thread.

Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent tothose skilled in the art upon consideration of illustrative embodimentsexemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presentlyperceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figuresin which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a belt-positioning booster seat inaccordance with the present disclosure at rest on a seat bottom of apassenger seat in a vehicle supporting a child showing that the boosterseat includes a compliant contoured seat pad adapted to elevate thechild above the seat bottom of the passenger seat, a left lapbelt-positioning tether coupled to the compliant contoured seat pad, anda right lap belt-positioning tether coupled to the compliant contouredseat pad and showing the first and the second lap belt-positioningtethers receiving and guiding a lap belt across thighs of a child seatedon the compliant contoured seat pad;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the belt-positioning booster seat ofFIG. 1 showing that the compliant contoured seat pad is made fromcompliant foam materials and is shaped to locate a child's tailbone onthe compliant contoured seat pad at a predetermined distance from a rearedge of the compliant contoured seat pad and to guide the thighs and thelower legs of the child to form a slightly obtuse knee angle between thethighs and lower legs so that the child's legs transition smoothlytoward the front of the seat bottom included in the passenger seat;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the compliant contoured seat pad, theleft lap belt-positioning tether, and the right lap belt-positioningtether included in the belt-positioning booster seat of FIGS. 1 and 2showing that the compliant contoured seat pad includes a body having alow-elevation buttocks-support portion and a high-elevation leg-supportportion, a left ear that is secured to the left lap belt-positioningtether, and a right ear that extends from the body that is secured tothe right lap belt-positioning tether;

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a portion of the belt-positioning boosterseat of FIG. 3 showing that the right ear of the compliant contouredseat pad is thinner than the body of the compliant contoured seat padand showing that the right ear is secured to the right lapbelt-positioning tether by a series of stitches;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 shown in FIG. 4showing that the stitches securing the right ear to the right lapbelt-positioning tether extend through the right ear and the right lapbelt-positioning tether;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the compliant contoured seat padshowing that the low-elevation buttocks-support portion includes an aftlaterally extending peak, a tailbone support adapted to underlie achild's tailbone and arranged at a preselected location between a frontand a back of the compliant contoured seat pad, and an afttailbone-locator incline sloping between the aft laterally extendingpeak and the tailbone support to encourage location of a child'stailbone on the tailbone support of the low-elevation buttocks-supportportion and showing that the high-elevation buttocks-support portionincludes a forward laterally extending peak and a forwardtailbone-locator incline sloping between the forward laterally extendingpeak and the tailbone support to encourage location of a child'stailbone on the tailbone support of the low-elevation buttocks-supportportion;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 on a grid background to illustratethe shape of the compliant contoured seat pad showing that the afttailbone-locator incline is arranged to extend upwardly from thetailbone support toward the aft laterally extending peak forming a firstangle β between the tailbone support and the aft tailbone-locatorincline, showing that the forward tailbone-locator incline section isarranged to extend upwardly from the tailbone-tailbone support towardthe forward laterally extending peak forming a second angle α thetailbone-tailbone support and the forward tailbone-locator incline, andfurther showing that the forward laterally extending peak is arranged toextend along a radius R;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the contoured compliant seat padincluded in the belt-positioning booster seat of FIG. 3 taken along line8-8 showing that the seat pad is made from a series of shaped layersarranged inside a cover and showing that the layers are sized andarranged to define the contour of the body of the compliant contouredseat pad;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the belt-positioning booster seat ofFIG. 3 taken along line 9-9 showing that neither the right ear nor theleft ear of the contoured seat pad receive any shaped layers as arereceived in the body of the compliant contoured seat pad;

FIG. 10 is a bottom perspective view of the belt-positioning boosterseat of FIGS. 1 and 3 showing that each of the first and second lapbelt-positioning tethers include a corresponding portion of a single lapbelt strap and a corresponding lap belt guide configured to receive alap belt and showing that the lap belt strap extends along the undersideof the contoured compliant seat pad to provide a handle for a caregivertransporting the belt-positioning booster seat;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of one of the lap belt guides showing thatthe lap belt guide is a monolithic component formed to include anaperture sized to receive the lap belt strap, a grip sized to be held bya child hand, and a belt-receiver slot arranged between the aperture andthe grip and showing that the belt-receiver slot is accessible through adiagonal belt-travel slot communicating with the belt-receiver slot toallow a child to slide a lap belt into the belt-receiver slot;

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic view of the belt-positioning booster seat ofFIG. 1 in combination with a passenger seat and a passenger restraintharness system including a lap and shoulder belt and various top andbottom belt anchors associated with the passenger seat;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another belt-positioning booster seatin accordance with the present disclosure at rest on a seat bottom of apassenger seat in a vehicle showing that the booster seat includes acompliant contoured seat pad adapted to elevate a child supported on thebelt-positioning booster seat above the seat bottom of the passengerseat, a left lap belt-positioning tether coupled to the compliantcontoured seat pad, and a right lap belt-positioning tether coupled tothe compliant contoured seat pad and showing the first and the secondlap belt-positioning tethers receiving and guiding a lap belt across thecompliant contoured seat pad;

FIG. 14 is a top perspective view of the belt-positioning booster seatof FIG. 13 showing that the compliant contoured seat pad includes alow-elevation buttocks-support portion and a high-elevation leg-supportportion and showing that the high-elevation leg-support portioncomprises a laterally extending peak and a forward tailbone-locatorincline sloping between the low-elevation buttocks-support portion andthe forward laterally extending peak to encourage location of a child'stailbone on the low-elevation buttocks-support portion of the compliantcontoured seat pad;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of one of the belt-positioning tethers ofFIGS. 13 and 14 showing that the belt-positioning tether includes a lapbelt guide formed to include a belt-receiver slot and a diagonalbelt-travel slot communicating with the belt-receiver slot and a lapbelt strap coupled at one end to a first side of the seat pad and at anopposite end to the lap belt guide in a manner that allows a caregiverto vary an effective length of the guide-support strap; and

FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic view of the belt-positioning booster seat ofFIG. 13 in combination with a passenger seat and a passenger restraintharness system including a lap and shoulder belt and various top andbottom belt anchors associated with the passenger seat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An illustrative belt-positioning booster seat 10 in accordance with thepresent disclosure is adapted to be arranged on a seat bottom 114 of apassenger seat 112 along a seat back 115 of passenger seat 112 in avehicle 110 to support a child in the vehicle 110 as shown in FIG. 1.Belt-positioning booster seat 10 includes a compliant contoured seat pad12, a left lap belt-positioning tether 14, and a right lapbelt-positioning tether 15. Compliant contoured seat pad 12 has apreselected shape 25 configured to provide means for positioning achild's tailbone and legs relative to passenger seat 113 so that thechild is encouraged to sit up straight and to have a slightly obtuseknee angle as shown in FIG. 2. Belt-positioning tethers 14, 15 receiveand guide a lap belt 120 across the thighs of a child seated oncompliant contoured seat pad 12 so that the lap belt 120 is maintainedin spaced apart relation to the midsection of the child withoutrequiring an armrest or hard guide.

Compliant contoured seat pad 12 is adapted to elevate the child aboveseat bottom 114 of passenger seat 112 and is formed to include a body20, a left ear 21, and a right ear 22 as shown, for example, in FIG. 3.Body 20 of compliant contoured seat pad 12 is adapted to position thechild on passenger seat 112. Body 20 illustratively includes an afttailbone-locator incline 42 that slopes downwardly from behind atailbone support 44 of body 20 to locate the tailbone of a child overtailbone support 44. Body 20 also includes a forward tailbone-locatorincline 52 that slopes downwardly from in front of tailbone support 44to locate the tailbone of a child over tailbone support 44.

Left and right ears 21, 22 of compliant contoured seat pad 12 aresecured to left and right lap belt-positioning tethers 14, 15,respectively, by stitches of thread 86 so that lap belt-positioningtethers 14, 15 are coupled to compliant contoured seat pad 12 as shownin FIGS. 3-5. The left and right ears 21, 22 have a reduced thicknesswhen compared body 20 so that stitches of thread 86 can extend throughleft and right ears 21, 22 along with left and right lapbelt-positioning tethers 14, 15.

Compliant contoured seat pad 12 is illustratively constructed from foammaterials without hardened supports so that compliant contoured seat pad12 yields elastically when a child sits on belt-positioning booster seat10 as suggested in FIG. 1. In the illustrative embodiment, compliantcontoured seat pad 12 includes a plurality of shaped layers 81, 82, 83,84 made of foam received in a cover 85 made from foam that cooperate toprovide body 20 of compliant contoured seat pad 12. Cover 85 extendsaway from body 20 without receiving any shaped layers to provide leftand right ears 21, 22 of compliant contoured seat pad 12.

Body 20 of compliant contoured seat pad 12 is adapted to underlie achild supported on belt-positioning booster seat 10 and illustrativelyincludes a low-elevation buttocks-support portion 24 and ahigh-elevation leg-support portion 26 as shown in FIG. 3. Low-elevationbuttocks-support portion 24 forms a back 31 of compliant contoured seatpad 12 and is adapted to underlie the buttocks of a child seated oncompliant contoured seat pad 12. High-elevation leg-support portion 26forms a front 32 of compliant contoured seat pad 12 and is adapted tosupport the legs of a child seated on compliant contoured seat pad 12 atan elevation generally greater than that of the low-elevationbuttocks-support portion 24. In the illustrative embodiment,low-elevation buttocks-support portion 24 is narrower thanhigh-elevation leg-support portion 26 between a left side 33 and a rightside 34 of compliant contoured seat pad 12.

Low-elevation buttocks-support portion 24 of body 20 included incompliant contoured seat pad 12 illustratively extends about half wayfrom back 31 of compliant contoured seat pad 12 toward front 32 ofcompliant contoured seat pad 12 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Low-elevationbuttocks-support portion 24 includes an aft laterally extending peak 40,an aft tailbone-locator incline 42 that extends forwardly from aftlaterally extending peak 40, and a tailbone support 44 that extendsforwardly from aft tailbone-locator incline 42. Aft laterally extendingpeak 40 extends between a left side 33 and a right side 34 of compliantcontoured seat pad 12 along back 31 of compliant contoured seat pad 12.Aft tailbone-locator incline 42 extends downwardly from aft laterallyextending peak 40 to tailbone support 44.

Aft tailbone-locator incline 42 provides a downward slope from aftlaterally extending peak 40 to tailbone support 44 as shown in FIGS. 6and 7. Aft tailbone-locator incline 42 provides means for locating thetailbone of a child forward of aft laterally extending peak 40 and overtailbone support 44 of rear low-elevation buttocks-support portion 24when the child is seated on the belt-positioning booster seat 10 so thatso that the tailbone of the child is located in a preselected positionon an underlying passenger seat 112 and the child is encouraged to situp straight. In the illustrative embodiment, aft tailbone-locatorincline 42 forms an angle β of about 5.5 degrees defined between agenerally flat plane 45 tangent to tailbone support 44 of low-elevationbuttocks-support portion 24 and the top of aft tailbone-locator incline42.

Tailbone support 44 is illustratively located around a locationreference line 95 associated with tailbone support 44 and reference line95 extends from the left side to the right side 34 of compliant seat pad12 as shown in FIG. 6. The reference line 95 is illustratively spaced apredetermined distance d from a rear edge 91 of compliant contoured seatpad 12 as shown in FIG. 6. The predetermined distance d is generallyequivalent to the distance from seat back 115 to the tailbone of a childseated on the compliant contoured seat pad 12 and is calculated toencourage the child to sit up straight with the back of the childextending upwardly along seat back 115 rather than slouching forward orbackward.

In the illustrative embodiment, distance d from rear edge 91 ofcompliant contoured seat pad 12 to location reference line 95 associatedwith tailbone support 44 may be about 18 millimeters. In theillustrative embodiment, compliant contoured seat pad 12 had a depth Dfrom rear edge 91 to a front edge 92 of about 47 millimeters. Thus, inthe illustrative embodiment the distance d is about 40 percent of thedepth D of the entire compliant contoured seat pad 12 as shown in FIGS.6 and 7.

Low-elevation buttocks-support portion 24 in the illustrative embodimentfurther includes a thinned heel 46 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Thinnedheel 46 extends rearwardly from aft laterally extending peak 40 andforms back 31 of compliant contoured seat pad 12. Thinned heel 46 isthinner from top to bottom than the rest of low-elevationbuttocks-support portion 24 of body 20 included in compliant contouredseat pad 12 and is adapted to contact seat back 115 of passenger seat112 at the intersection of seat back 115 with seat bottom 114 as shownin FIG. 2. In the illustrative embodiment, the thinned heel 46, the aftlaterally extending peak 40, and the aft tailbone-locator incline 42cooperate to extend about one-fourth of the entire depth D of thecompliant contoured seat pad 12 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

High-elevation leg-support portion 26 of body 20 included in compliantcontoured seat pad 12 illustratively extends about half way from front32 of compliant contoured seat pad 12 toward back 31 of compliantcontoured seat pad 12 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. High-elevationleg-support portion 26 includes a forward laterally extending peak 50and a forward tailbone-locator incline 52 that extends rearwardly fromforward laterally extending peak 50. Forward laterally extending peak 50extends between left side 33 and right side 34 of compliant contouredseat pad 12 along front 32 of compliant contoured seat pad 12. Forwardtailbone-locator incline 52 extends downwardly from forward laterallyextending peak 50 to tailbone support 44 included in low-elevationbuttocks-support portion 24 of the compliant contoured seat pad 12.

Forward laterally extending peak 50 forms the top elevation of thecompliant contoured seat pad 12 and extends along a curved radius R atthe top elevation. In the illustrative embodiment, the curve radius offorward laterally extending peak 50 is about 37.5 millimeters at the topelevation of the compliant contoured seat pad 12. Forward laterallyextending peak 50 cooperates with forward tailbone-locator incline 52 toprovide means for angling the thighs of a child upward from tailbonesupport 44 of low-elevation buttocks-support portion 24 causing thethighs of the child to form a slightly obtuse angle Θ with lower legs ofthe child when the child is seated on the belt-positioning booster seat10 so that the lower legs of the child are guided along a smoothtransition toward a front of seat bottom 114 included in the passengerseat 112 underlying the belt-positioning booster seat 10.

Forward tailbone-locator incline 52 slopes downwardly from forwardlaterally extending peak 50 to tailbone support 44 of low-elevationbuttocks-support portion 24 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Forwardtailbone-locator incline 52 provides positioning means for locating thetailbone of a child rearward of high-elevation leg-support portion 26over tailbone support 44 of low-elevation buttocks-support portion 24 sothat the tailbone of the child is located in a preselected position onan underlying passenger seat 112 and the child is encouraged to sit upstraight on passenger seat 112 as suggested in FIGS. 1 and 2. In theillustrative embodiment, forward tailbone-locator incline 52 forms anangle α of about 9.2 degrees defined between generally flat plane 45tangent to tailbone support 44 of low-elevation buttocks-support portion24 and the top of forward tailbone-locator incline 52.

High-elevation leg-support portion 26 in the illustrative embodimentfurther includes a sloped toe 56 that extends from forward laterallyextending peak 50 to front 32 of compliant contoured seat pad 12 asshown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Sloped toe 56 slopes downwardly from forwardlaterally extending peak 50 and is shaped to form an obtuse angle γ withseat bottom 114 when compliant contoured seat pad 12 is arranged on seatbottom 114.

Body 20 of compliant contoured seat pad 12 in the illustrativeembodiment further includes slip-reducer feet 28 that extend downwardlyfrom an underside 13 of low-elevation buttocks-support portion 24 andfrom high-elevation leg-support portion 26 as shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and10. Slip-reducer feet 28 engage seat bottom 114 when compliant contouredseat pad 12 is arranged on seat bottom 114 to prevent compliantcontoured seat pad 12 from sliding over seat bottom 114.

Left lap belt-positioning tether 14 and right lap belt-positioningtether 15 extend outward from body 20 along corresponding left and rightsides 33, 34 of compliant contoured seat pad 12 as shown in FIGS. 3, 6,and 10. Each of left lap belt-positioning tether 14 and right lapbelt-positioning tether 15 include a lap belt guide 54, 55 and a portion64, 65 of a single lap belt strap 60 as shown in FIG. 1a Lap belt guides54, 55 are configured to receive and retain lap belt 120. Each portion64, 65 of lap belt strap 60 included in a belt-positioning tether 14, 15extends away from compliant contoured seat pad 12 a preselecteddistance. A handle portion 61 of the lap belt strap 60 extends from leftside 33 to the right side 34 of compliant contoured seat pad 12 alongunderside 13 of compliant contoured seat pad 12 to provide a handle thatcan be grasped by a caregiver moving the belt-positioning booster seat10.

Lap belt guides 54, 55 are substantially similar to one another as shownin FIG. 3. The following description of lap belt guide 54 shown in FIG.111 is equally applicable to lap belt guide 55. Lap belt guide 54 is amonolithic component formed to include an aperture 66 sized to receivelap belt 120, a grip 68 sized to be held by a child's hand, and abelt-receiver slot 70 arranged between the aperture 66 and the grip 68.Belt-receiver slot 70 is accessible through a diagonal belt-travel slot72 communicating with the belt-receiver slot 70 to allow a child toslide lap belt 120 into the belt-receiver slot 70.

In the illustrative embodiment, compliant contoured seat pad 12 includesa plurality of shaped layers 81, 82, 83, 84 received in a cover 85 asshown, for example, in FIGS. 8 and 9. Shaped layers 81, 82, 83, 84 andcover 85 are illustratively constructed from olefin foam withouthardened reinforcements so that compliant contoured seat pad 12 has apreselected compliance and yields elastically when a child sits on thecompliant contoured seat pad 12. In other embodiments, other types offoams and/or other suitable materials may be used to construct compliantcontoured seat pad 12 without hardened reinforcements. In someembodiments, hardened reinforcements made from plastics or othermaterials may be added to compliant contoured seat pad 12.

Shaped layers 81, 82, 83, 84 are arranged within body 20 of compliantcontoured seat pad 12 and are sized to define the shape of body 20 suchthat compliant contoured seat pad 12 provides means for positioning thechild on passenger seat 112 as shown in FIG. 8. More particularly,shaped layers 81, 82, 83, 84 are shaped to form aft laterally extendingpeak 40, aft tailbone-locator incline 42, and tailbone support 44 oflow-elevation buttocks-support portion 24 as well as forward laterallyextending peak 50 and forward tailbone-locator incline 52 ofhigh-elevation leg-support portion 26.

Cover 85 illustratively receives shaped layers 81, 82, 83, 84 to formbody 20 of compliant contoured seat pad 12 and forms left and right ears21, 22 of compliant contoured seat pad 12 as shown in FIG. 9. Cover 85extends outwardly from tailbone support 44 of low-elevationbuttocks-support portion 24 included in body 20 along left and rightsides 33, 34 of compliant contoured seat pad 12 to forms left and rightears 21, 22 of compliant contoured seat pad 12. Cover 85 also formsslip-reducer feet 28.

Left and right ears 21, 22 of compliant contoured seat pad 12 formed bycover 85 do not receive any shaped layers 81, 82, 83, 84 so that leftand right ears 21, 22 are thinner than body 20 as shown in FIGS. 5 and9. On account of the thinned left and right ears 21, 22, stitches ofthread 86 that extends through lap belt strap 60 and left or right ears21, 22 is used to secure left and right lap belt-positioning tethers 14,15 to the left and right ears 21, 22, respectively, of the compliantcontoured seat pad 12 as suggested in FIG. 4. In other embodiments,adhesives and other coupling arrangements may be used to couple left andright lap belt-positioning tethers 14, 15 to the compliant contouredseat pad 12.

As suggested diagrammatically in FIG. 12, passenger seat 112 includes afirst bottom anchor 122 secured to a foundation 160 in a fixed positionrelative to seat bottom 114 and a second bottom anchor 124 secured to afoundation 160 in a fixed position and in spaced-apart relation to firstbottom anchor 122. As suggested in FIG. 1, first bottom anchor 122 ispositioned to lie in a crevice 125 formed between seat bottom 114 andseat back 115. Second bottom anchor 124 is arranged to lie in thecrevice 125 alongside a portion of seat bottom 114 as also suggested inFIG. 1.

As suggested in FIGS. 1 and 12, a shoulder belt 130 includes an upperend 131 coupled in a suitable manner to a top anchor 134 that is securedto a vehicle frame 135 and a lower end 132 coupled in a suitable mannerto first bottom anchor 122. Lap belt 120 includes a first end 121coupled to first bottom anchor 122 (and/or lower end of shoulder belt130) and a second end 123 coupled to second bottom anchor 124. Assuggested in FIGS. 1 and 5, a seat belt 150 including lap belt 120 andshoulder belt 130 can also include a first strap 141 coupled to firstbottom anchor 122, a second strap 142 coupled to second bottom anchor124, and a buckle unit 145 configured to releasably couple first strap141 to second strap 142 in a customary manner.

Compliant contoured seat pad 12 is a low-profile component that blendsin with seat bottom 114 of passenger seat 112. Compliant contoured seatpad 12 is shaped with contours to fit a child that is not quite tallenough to fit properly in a passenger-restraint harness system 170 whileseated on a passenger seat 112. This contour (as shown, for example, inFIGS. 6 and 7) prevents slouching which might otherwise contribute toraising the lap belt from the thigh region to the abdominal region of aseated child.

Lap belt guides 54, 55 included in tethers 14, 15 cooperate to helpplace lap belt 120 in a proper position on the thigh region of a childseated on compliant contoured seat pad 12. The lap belt guides 54, 55are permanently held to the compliant contoured seat pad 12 with webbingsuch as guide-support straps 64, 65 that are in turn secured to thecompliant contoured seat pad 12 by stitches of thread 68.Belt-positioning booster seat 10 avoids reliance on armrests orinflation of inflatable features to position the lap belt on a seatedchild.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the shape 25 of theseat pad 12 is contoured to position the tailbone of a child seated onthe seat pad 25 in a predetermined location in close proximity to a rearedge 91 of the seat pad 12 next to the seat back 115 of an underlyingpassenger seat 112 as shown in FIGS. 2, 6, and 7. The seat pad 12includes a low-elevation tailbone support 44, an aft tailbone-locatorincline 42 arranged to extend upwardly in a rearward direction from thetailbone support 44 toward the seat back 115, and a forward tailbonelocator incline 52 arranged to extend upwardly from the low-elevationtailbone support 44 in a forward direction away from the seat back 115.The low-elevation tailbone support 44 is shaped and arranged to locatethe tailbone of the seat 112 occupant at a certain distance from therear edge 91 of the seat pad 12.

In some embodiments, the seat pad 12 includes a body 20, a left ear 21that extend outwardly from a left side 33 of the body 20, and a rightear 22 that extends outwardly from a right side 34 of the body 20 asshown in FIG. 3. The body 20 of the seat pad 12 is formed to include thelow-elevation tailbone support 44, the aft tailbone-locator incline 42,and the forward tailbone-locator incline 52. The left and right ears 21,22 are thinner than the body 20 of the seat pad 12. The reducedthickness of the left and right ears 21, 22 allows stitches of thread 86to extend through left and right ears 21, 22 and through the left andright lap belt-positioning tethers 14, 15 to secure the left and rightlap belt-positioning tethers 14, 15 to the left and right ears 21, 22.

In illustrative embodiments, the seat pad 12 is constructed fromcompliant foam materials so that the seat pad 12 yields elastically whena child sits on the seat pad 12 as shown in FIGS. 2, 8, and 9. The seatpad 12 illustratively includes a plurality of shaped foam layers 81, 82,83, 84 received in a foam cover 85 that cooperate to provide the body 20of the seat pad 12. The cover 85 illustratively extends away from thebody 20 of the seat pad 12 without receiving any shaped foam layers 81,82, 83, 84 to provide the left and right ears 21, 22 that are secured tothe left and right lap belt-positioning tethers 14, 15 by stitches ofthread 86.

Another illustrative belt-positioning booster seat 210 in accordancewith the present disclosure is adapted to be arranged on seat bottom 114of passenger seat 112 along a seat back 115 of passenger seat 112 invehicle 110 to support a child in the vehicle 110 as shown in FIGS.13-16. Belt-positioning booster seat 210 includes a compliant contouredseat pad 212, a left lap belt-positioning tether 214, and a right lapbelt-positioning tether 215. Compliant contoured seat pad 212 is adaptedto elevate the child above seat bottom 114 of passenger seat 112.Belt-positioning tethers 214, 215 are adapted to receive and guide lapbelt 120 along a preselected path so that lap belt 120 extends acrossthe thighs of a child seated on compliant contoured seat pad 212.

Compliant contoured seat pad 212 is adapted to underlie a childsupported on belt-positioning booster seat 210 and is shaped to providemeans for positioning the child on passenger seat 112. Compliantcontoured seat pad 212 illustratively includes a low-elevationbuttocks-support portion 224 and a high-elevation leg-support portion226 as shown in FIG. 14. Low-elevation buttocks-support portion 224forms a back 231 of compliant contoured seat pad 212 and is adapted tounderlie the buttocks of a child seated on compliant contoured seat pad212. High-elevation leg-support portion 226 forms a front 232 ofcompliant contoured seat pad 212 and is adapted to support the legs of achild seated on compliant contoured seat pad 212 at an elevationgenerally greater than that of the low-elevation buttocks-supportportion 224.

Low-elevation buttocks-support portion 224 included in compliantcontoured seat pad 212 illustratively extends about half way from back231 of compliant contoured seat pad 212 toward front 232 of compliantcontoured seat pad 212 as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. Low-elevationbuttocks-support portion 224 is adapted to underlie the tailbone of achild seated on belt-positioning booster seat 210 at a preselectedlocation relative to the passenger seat 112 that encourages the child tosit up straight on belt-positioning booster seat 210.

High-elevation leg-support portion 226 included in compliant contouredseat pad 212 illustratively extends about half way from front 232 ofcompliant contoured seat pad 212 toward back 231 of compliant contouredseat pad 212 as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. High-elevation leg-supportportion 226 includes a forward laterally extending peak 250 and aforward tailbone-locator incline 252 that extends rearwardly fromforward laterally extending peak 250. Forward laterally extending peak250 extends between left side 233 and right side 234 of compliantcontoured seat pad 212 along front 232 of compliant contoured seat pad212. Forward tailbone-locator incline 252 extends downwardly fromforward laterally extending peak 250 to low-elevation buttocks-supportportion 224.

Forward laterally extending peak 250 has a curved convex top surface andforms the top elevation of the compliant contoured seat pad 212. Forwardlaterally extending peak 250 cooperates with forward tailbone-locatorincline 252 to provide means for angling the thighs of a child upwardfrom low-elevation buttocks-support portion 224 causing the thighs ofthe child to form a slightly obtuse angle with lower legs of the childwhen the child is seated on the belt-positioning booster seat 210 sothat the lower legs of the child are guided along a smooth transitiontoward a front of seat bottom 114 included in passenger seat 112underlying belt-positioning booster seat 210.

Forward tailbone-locator incline 252 slopes downwardly from forwardlaterally extending peak 250 to low-elevation buttocks-support portion224 as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. Forward tailbone-locator incline 252provides positioning means for locating the tailbone of a child rearwardof high-elevation leg-support portion 226 over low-elevationbuttocks-support portion 224 so that the tailbone of the child islocated in a preselected position on an underlying passenger seat 112and the child is encouraged to sit up straight on passenger seat 112.

High-elevation leg-support portion 226 in the illustrative embodimentfurther includes a sloped toe 256 that extends from forward laterallyextending peak 250 to front 232 of compliant contoured seat pad 212 asshown in FIGS. 13 and 14. Sloped toe 256 slopes downwardly from forwardlaterally extending peak 250 and is shaped to form an obtuse angle withseat bottom 114 when compliant contoured seat pad 12 is arranged on seatbottom 114.

Left lap belt-positioning tether 214 and right lap belt-positioningtether 215 are coupled to and extend outward from compliant contouredseat pad 212 along corresponding left and right sides 233, 234 ofcompliant contoured seat pad 212 as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. Each ofleft lap belt-positioning tether 214 and right lap belt-positioningtether 215 include a lap belt guide 254, 255 and a lap belt strap 264,265 as shown in FIG. 15. Lap belt guides 54, 55 are configured toreceive and retain lap belt 120. Each lap belt strap 264, 265 extendsaway from compliant contoured seat pad 212.

Lap belt guides 254, 255 are substantially similar to one another asshown in FIG. 15. The following description of lap belt guide 254 shownin FIG. 15 is equally applicable to lap belt guide 255. Lap belt guide254 is a monolithic component formed to include apertures 266, 267 sizedto receive lap belt 120 and a belt-receiver slot 270. Apertures 266, 267illustratively provide for mating with corresponding lap belt straps264, 265 and provide adjustment means for allowing a caregiver to varyan effective length of lap belt straps 264, 65 between the compliantcontoured seat pad 212 and the corresponding lap belt guides 254, 255.Belt-receiver slot 270 is accessible through a diagonal belt-travel slot272 communicating with the belt-receiver slot 270 to allow a child toslide lap belt 120 into the belt-receiver slot 270.

Compliant contoured seat pad 212 is a low-profile component that blendsin with seat bottom 114 of passenger seat 112. Compliant contoured seatpad 212 is made of a solid foam material core 280 and is covered with asturdy fabric material cover 285 in an illustrative embodiment of thepresent disclosure. This solid foam design is shaped with contours tofit a child that is not quite tall enough to fit properly in apassenger-restraint harness system 170 while seated on a passenger seat112. This contour (as shown, for example, in FIGS. 13 and 14) preventsslouching which might otherwise contribute to raising the lap belt fromthe thigh region to the abdominal region of a seated child.

Adjustable lap belt guides 254, 255 included in tethers 214, 215cooperate to help place lap belt 120 in a proper position on the thighregion of a child seated on compliant contoured seat pad 212. The lapbelt guides 254, 255 are permanently held to the compliant contouredseat pad 212 with webbing such as guide-support straps 264, 265.Belt-positioning booster seat 210 avoids reliance on armrests orinflation of inflatable features to position the lap belt on a seatedchild.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A booster seat adapted to be removablypositioned on a vehicle passenger seat comprising a compliant contouredseat pad including a body adapted to support a child seated on thebooster seat, a left ear thinner than the body and arranged to extendfrom a left side of the body, and a right ear thinner than the bodyarranged to extend from a right side of the body, a left lapbelt-positioning tether coupled to the left ear and arranged to extendfrom the left ear, the left lap belt-positioning tether configured toreceive a lap belt, and a right lap belt-positioning tether coupled tothe right ear and arranged to extend from the right ear, the right lapbelt-positioning tether configured to receive a lap belt, wherein theleft lap belt-positioning tether is coupled to the left ear by stitchesof thread that extend through the left lap belt-positioning tether andthe left ear to secure the left lap belt-positioning tether to thecompliant contoured seat pad so that a lap belt received in the left lapbelt-positioning tether is retained in a selected position relative tothe compliant contoured seat pad and the right lap belt-positioningtether is coupled to the right ear by stitches of thread that extendthrough the right lap belt-positioning tether and the right ear tosecure the right lap belt-positioning tether to the compliant contouredseat pad so that a lap belt received in the right lap belt-positioningtether is retained in a selected position relative to the compliantcontoured seat pad, whereby the seat pad is adapted to be removed fromthe vehicle passenger seat by only removal of the lap belt from the leftlap belt-positioning tether and right lap belt-positioning tether. 2.The booster seat of claim 1, wherein the body of the compliant contouredseat pad includes a rear low-elevation buttocks-support portion adaptedto underlie buttocks of a child seated on the booster seat and a fronthigh-elevation leg-support portion adapted to underlie thighs of a childseated on the booster seat, the high-elevation leg-support portionincludes a laterally extending peak and a forward tailbone-locatorincline, the laterally extending peak having a curved convex top surfacethat extends from the left side to the right side of the body, and theforward tailbone-locator incline is arranged to extend downwardly fromthe laterally extending peak toward a back of the body to locate atailbone of a child rearward of the forward tailbone-locator inclineover the rear low-elevation buttocks-support portion when the child isseated on the compliant contoured seat pad.
 3. The booster seat of claim2, wherein the body of the compliant contoured seat pad is formed from aplurality of shaped foam layers received in a cover and the shaped foamlayers are sized to define the rear low-elevation buttocks-supportportion and the front high-elevation leg-support portion.
 4. The boosterseat of claim 3, wherein the left ear and the right ear are formed fromportions of the cover that do not receive a shaped foam layer so thatthe left ear and the right ear are thinner than the body of thecompliant contoured seat pad.
 5. The booster seat of claim 4, whereinthe low-elevation buttocks-support portion of the body includes a afttailbone-locator incline and a tailbone support, the afttailbone-locator incline arranged to extend upwardly from the tailbonesupport toward the back of the compliant contoured seat pad to locate atailbone of a child forward of the aft tailbone-locator incline over thetailbone support of the rear low-elevation buttocks-support portion whenthe child is seated on the compliant contoured seat pad.
 6. The boosterseat of claim 1, wherein the left lap belt-positioning tether includes aleft lap belt guide adapted to receive a lap belt and a first portion ofa lap belt strap that is secured to the left ear by stitches of threadand the right lap belt-positioning tether includes a right lap beltguide adapted to receive a lap belt and a second portion of the lap beltstrap secured to the right ear by stitches of thread.
 7. The boosterseat of claim 6, wherein the lap belt strap extends along an undersideof the compliant contoured seat pad from the left side to the right sideof the compliant contoured seat pad to provide a handle that can begrasped by a caregiver moving the booster seat.
 8. The booster seat ofclaim 1, wherein the lap belt-positioning tethers are configured toguide a lap belt strap across the thighs of a child seated on thecompliant contoured seat pad.
 9. A booster seat adapted to be removablypositioned on a vehicle passenger seat comprising a compliant contouredseat pad adapted to support a child seated on the booster seat, a leftlap belt-positioning tether coupled to the compliant contoured seat padand arranged to extend outwardly from a left side of the compliantcontoured seat pad, the left lap belt-positioning tether configured toreceive a lap belt, and a right lap belt-positioning tether coupled tothe compliant contoured seat pad and arranged to extend outwardly from aright side of the compliant contoured seat pad, the right lapbelt-positioning tether configured to receive the lap belt, wherein eachof the left lap belt-positioning tether and the right lapbelt-positioning tether includes a lap belt guide configured to receiveand retain the lap belt and a lap belt strap that extends outwardly fromthe compliant contoured seat pad and the lap belt guides of the left lapbelt-positioning tether and of the right lap belt-positioning tethercoupled to a corresponding lap belt strap to move along thecorresponding lap belt strap toward and away from the compliantcontoured seat pad, whereby the seat pad is adapted to be removed fromthe vehicle passenger seat by only removal of the lap belt from the leftlap belt-positioning tether and right lap belt-positioning tether. 10.The booster seat of claim 9, wherein each lap belt guide is formed toinclude a pair of spaced apart apertures that receive the correspondinglap belt strap to provide adjustment means for allowing a caregiver tovary an effective length of lap belt straps between the compliantcontoured seat pad and the corresponding lap belt guides.
 11. Thebooster seat of claim 9, wherein the lap belt-positioning tethers areconfigured to guide a lap belt strap across the thighs of a child seatedon the compliant contoured seat pad.